Ken Peplowski - Last Swing Of The Century

Styles: Big Band, Swing

Year: 1999

Time: 65:26

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:20) 1. Let's Dance
(3:27) 2. Hunkadola
(3:12) 3. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(6:59) 4. King Porter Stomp
(5:17) 5. Moon Glow
(6:08) 6. Stealin' Apples
(2:32) 7. You Turned the Tables on Me
(3:07) 8. Bugle Call Rag
(3:19) 9. Don't Be That Way
(4:00) 10. Memories of You
(4:11) 11. Restless
(3:15) 12. Get Happy
(5:14) 13. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:56) 14. China Boy
(3:29) 15. Down South Camp Meetin'
(3:53) 16. Good-Bye

Although the cliche that big bands will never come back is somewhat true, Ken Peplowski is the closest that some listeners near the end of this century will remember as bringing the music back to the ‘90s with taste, drive and creativity. Peplowski doesn’t compromise the artistic integrity of his mentor even though each soloist is playing in their own style, with no re-creations of solos from old records! Popular standards such as “Let’s Dance,” “Moon Glow,” “Bugle Call Rag,” “Don’t Be That Way,” and the “King Porter Stomp,” receive some of the very best arrangements they’ve ever had. On “Memories Of You,” Ken spotlights Bobby Pring’s trombone and the young, Frank Vignola’s mellow guitar. He duets with Vignola on one of Goodman’s favorites, “China Boy,” originally recorded with Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa in 1936. 

The clarinet of Ken Peplowski, taken up in honor of Goodman, is brilliant on this hard-swinging set of performances by his orchestra and serves as an excellent example of what can be done and has been done to the keep the music of the Big Band Era fresh and vital. Last Swing Of The Century - Big Band Music of Benny Goodman captures the brilliant essence of Benny Goodman and is ever so essential.

By Paula Edelstein http://www.allaboutjazz.com/last-swing-of-the-century-big-band-music-of-benny-goodman-ken-peplowski-concord-music-group-review-by-paula-edelstein.php 

Musicians: Ken Peplowski, clarinet; trumpets; Conte Candoli, Bob Milikan, Randy Sandke; trombones,  Eddie Bert, Bobby Pring; saxophones,  Jack Stuckey - lead alto,  Scott Robinson - tenor,  Joe Romano - alto, Rickey Woodard - tenor; rhythm section, Ben Aronov-piano, Frank Vignola - guitar, Richard Simon - bass, Frank Capp - drums.

Last Swing of the Century

---

Rebecca Kilgore - I Saw Stars

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:03
Size: 140,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:15)  1. Happy as the Day Is Long
(5:12)  2. Sweet Substitute
(3:16)  3. I Saw Stars
(4:11)  4. For Heaven's Sake
(4:29)  5. Say It Isn't So
(4:07)  6. He Needs Me
(3:12)  7. Jeepers Creepers
(4:13)  8. No Love, No Nothing
(3:37)  9. Everything I Have Is Yours
(2:29) 10. Exactly Like You
(3:27) 11. A LonelLonely Co-Ed
(3:04) 12. This Is No Laughing Matter
(3:01) 13. A Fine Romance
(3:50) 14. I'll Be Around
(4:39) 15. You Can't Lose a Broken Heart
(2:45) 16. Symphony
(3:08) 17. Princess

Becky Kilgore, a singer based in the Pacific Northwest, is a longtime associate of pianist Dave Frishberg. Frishberg is part of the impressive supporting cast (along with trombonist Dan Barrett, altoist Chuck Wilson, Scott Robinson on tenor, bass sax and clarinet, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and bassist Michael Moore) for her solo debut. Kilgore has a nice swing to her style and clearly enjoys reviving such songs as "Happy as the Day Is Long," "A Lonely Coed" and "You Can't Lose a Broken Heart." She has a pleasing voice, gives a liberal amount of space to the soloists (the ensembles often sound a bit like the John Kirby Sextet), and constructs a set of enjoyable music that is heartily recommended to fans of small-group swing. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-saw-stars-mw0000026865

Personnel: Rebecca Kilgore (vocals, guitar); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Scott Robinson (clarinet, tenor saxophone, bass saxophone); Chuck Wilson (alto saxophone); Dan Barrett (trumpet, trombone); Dave Frishberg (piano).

I Saw Stars

---

Randy Sandke - The Music Of Bob Haggart

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:00
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. It Ain't Necessarily So
(2:30)  2. It Takes a Long Pull To Get There
(2:35)  3. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
(3:00)  4. Summertime
(3:11)  5. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
(2:12)  6. Oh, I Can't Sit Down
(3:24)  7. I Loves You, Porgy
(4:26)  8. My Man's Gone Now
(3:07)  9. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?
(2:23) 10. There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
(3:20) 11. Mardi Gras Parade
(3:22) 12. What's New?
(5:42) 13. Dogtown Blues
(3:10) 14. My Inspiration
(4:39) 15. South Rampart Street Parade
(4:58) 16. At the Jazz Band Ball
(4:27) 17. Big Noise From Winnetka

Most jazz fans are well acquainted with some arrangement or another of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, but few of them are acquainted with Bob Haggart's charts of the score. The reason is simple: Haggart's arrangements, released at the same time as the Porgy and Bess movie, were pushed to the back of the record racks by versions of the same music by (among others) Miles Davis and Gil Evans, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Oscar Peterson Trio and Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Modern-day trumpeter Randy Sandke has decided that this was an unfair quirk of history, and after some detective work and painstaking transcription he's reassembled Haggart's Porgy and Bess plus some other charts under the prosaic title The Music of Bob Haggart.

Haggart's charts for Gershwin don't try to reinvent the wheel as other interpreters at the time did; their sound, straightahead, tart and tight, takes the listener back to Gershwin's own idiom with minimum fuss and maximum verve. Frequent solo breaks allow the stellar band Sandke has assembled to shine; while everyone puts their best foot forward in this endeavor, the two most impressive players are Jon-Erik Kellso on the (frequently muted) puje, sounding period without sounding old, and Sandke himself, alternately caressing and goosing some of the most famous melodies ever written. Jazz fans shouldn't lose sleep over having favored Miles, Oscar or Louis and Ella for so many years; Haggart's version isn't that compelling. But, as this recording proves, it can be a lot of fun in the right hands. ~ Andrew Lindemann Malone  http://jazztimes.com/articles/13713-the-music-of-bob-haggart-under-the-direction-of-randy-sandke-randy-sandke

Personnel:  Bob Haggart (arranger, bass); Randy Sandke (leader, trumpet); Scott Robinson (tenor & baritone saxophones); Jack Stuckey (baritone saxophone); Byron Stripling (trumpet); John Allred, George Masso, Wycliffe Gordon (trombone); Ken Peplowski (clarinet); Derek Smith, Ed Metz, Sr. (piano); Howard Alden (guitar); Greg Cohen (bass); Joe Ascione, Tony DeNicola (drums).

The Music Of Bob Haggart

---

Daniel Hersog Jazz Orchestra - Open Spaces

Styles: Trumpet, Big Band
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:33
Size: 171,5 MB
Art: Front

( 4:21) 1. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
( 6:54) 2. How Many Roads
( 4:52) 3. Ahead By A Century
( 8:12) 4. Shenandoah
(11:07) 5. I Hear
( 8:27) 6. Jib Set
( 9:35) 7. Canadian Folk Song
( 9:42) 8. Rentrer
( 5:44) 9. Sarracenia Purpurea
( 5:36) 10. Red River Valley

Locked down and socially distanced during the pandemic, composer-arranger Daniel Hersog had an interesting idea: rearrange some well-known and well-loved folk songs, most with Canadian roots, for jazz orchestra and throw in a handful of his own original compositions with a folk-tune ambience. The result is Open Spaces: Folk Songs Reimagined, the sophomore album by Hersog's Vancouver-based ensemble.

As on his debut recording, Night Devoid of Stars (Cellar Music, 2020), Hersog welcomes a number of talented guest artists to sit in: trumpeter Brad Turner, saxophonists Scott Robinson and Noah Preminger, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, pianist Frank Carlberg. With an orchestra and guests of that caliber, it would seem a sure bet to number Open Spaces among the more persuasive big-band albums of the year.

As you can't, however, judge a book by its cover, so you can't appraise an album by its pedigree. In spite of presumably having every element in place to allow it to soar, Open Spaces seldom makes it off the ground. While the words "ponderous" and "overblown" spring to mind, the reasons are several, and Hersog's generally unimpressive charts account for only one of them. Soloists pose another problem. Although there is ample room for improvisation on most numbers, no one has much of interest to say—not even the usually dependable Robinson, whose unassuming baritone solo on "Shenandoah," Hersog writes, "had [him] in tears."

Truth be told, there is a reason why folk songs always have been and remain so popular among the masses: they tell persusasive stories that are usually upbeat and hopeful, making listeners feel good about themselves and humanity in general. There is little of that optimism or cheerfulness here. Indeed, the opposite is far too often true, as everyone seems intent not only to "reimagine" folk songs but to make them as somber and tedious as possible. Everything, it seems, plods glumly along, from Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" to the traditional "Red River Valley," which brings the largely austere session to a suitable close.

So what can be done to spruce up a dismal album such as this and make it shine? The answer, dear friend, may be "blowin' in the wind," but you won't find it here. By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/open-spaces-daniel-hersog-cellar-music

Personnel: Daniel Hersog. trumpet.; Kurt Rosenwinkel. guitar.; Scott Robinson. saxophone, tenor.; Noah Preminger. saxophone, tenor.; Frank Carlberg. piano.; Ben Kono. saxophone.;Brad Turner. trumpet.;Kim Cass. bass, acoustic.

Open Spaces (Folk Songs Reimagined)

---

Maria Schneider Orchestra - Sky Blue

Styles: Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:09
Size: 144,8 MB
Art: Front

(13:28) 1. The 'Pretty' Road
(10:00) 2. Aires de Lando
( 9:34) 3. Rich's Place
(21:57) 4. Cerulean Skies
( 8:08) 5. Sky Blue

There's a reason that composer/bandleader Maria Schneider calls her large ensemble an orchestra. The term "big band suggests a number of inherent expectations relating to historical tradition. Schneider's group may be configured like a big band five reeds, four trumpets, four trombones with an expanded rhythm section but the music she writes delves into territories considerably farther afield. Sky Blue is a logical follow-up to her Grammy Award-winning Concert in the Garden (ArtistShare, 2004), but there's been significant evolution as well.

Even more ambitious than its predecessor, Sky Blue doesn't completely leave behind the South American influences heard on Concert. The Peruvian-informed "Aires de Landro manages to mask its rhythmic complexity beneath a lush lyricism that's explored fully by clarinetist Scott Robinson. Robinson may be the primary soloist, but here as on the rest of Sky Blue the ensemble players manage to interpret Schneider's detailed arrangements while bringing their own personalities to every chart.

That's an important differentiator for Schneider's orchestra, made all the more significant considering that only seven members of an ensemble ranging from seventeen to twenty-one pieces are afforded delineated solos. Guitarist Ben Monder's subtle presence is often something more felt than heard, but it adds unmistakably to the ambience of pieces like the Americana-rich "The 'Pretty' Road, the closest thing to a conventional song form that Schneider's written, yet possessed of an orchestral depth made all the more vivid by Ingrid Jensen's remarkable trumpet and flugelhorn solo.

"Rich's Piece is, not surprisingly, a solo vehicle for tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, but this nine-minute tone poem is bolstered by pianist Frank Kimbrough's intuitive colors and Jay Anderson's fluid and sensitive bass work. Schneider's voicings and her choice of instruments to layer them seamlessly ebb and flow alongside Perry, sometimes becoming dramatically dominant, elsewhere underpinning Perry with sublime understatement.

But it's the episodic, 22-minute centerpiece "Cerulean Skies that elevates Blue Sky to masterpiece. Awash with complex colors and shifting ambiences, it begins in rich abstraction with a variety of bird sounds almost all created by members of the orchestrabefore settling into a sumptuous mix of counterpoint, polyrhythm and evocative melodism, setting the stage for a lengthy tenor solo from Donny McCaslin, who builds to near fever-pitch. Dissolving again into the ethereal, Gary Versace's accordion solo is as much texture as it is melody, with Kimbrough gradually shifting towards another folkloric Americana section initially rubato but finally propulsive for altoist Charles Pillow's vivid closing solo.

Like Vince Mendoza quite possibly the only other artist writing for large ensembles today with as distinctive a voice Schneider's not without precedent. But while past innovators like Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer figure in who Schneider is, she's long since transcended those and other influences. Sky Blue is an album of remarkable depth and beauty an expansive, imagery laden experience, from an artist who's ready to be considered in the same breath as those who've been so important to her own development. By John Kelman
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sky-blue-maria-schneider-artistshare-review-by-john-kelman

Personnel: Steve Wilson, Charles Pillow, Rich Perry, Donny McCaslin, Scott Robinson (sax, flauti e clarinetti); Tony Kadleck, Jason Carder, Laurie Frink, Ingrid Jensen (trombe e flicorni); Keith O'Quinn, Ryan Keberle, Marshall Gilkes (trombone); George Flynn (trombone basso); Ben Monder (chitarra); Frank Kimbrough (piano); Jay Anderson (basso); Clarence Penn (batteria); Gonzalo Grau, Jon Wikan (cajon e percussioni); Gary Versace (fisarmonica); Luciana Sousa (voce).

Sky Blue

---

Maria Schneider & Dawn Upshaw - Winter Morning Walks

Styles: Jazz, Big Band 
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:11
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Perfectly Still This Solstice Morning
(1:54)  2. When I Switched On a Light
(3:51)  3. Walking by Flashlight
(2:45)  4. I Saw a Dust Devil This Morning
(3:57)  5. My Wife and I Walk the Cold Road
(2:20)  6. All Night, in Gusty Winds
(1:25)  7. Our Finch Feeder
(2:24)  8. Spring, the Sky Rippled with Geest
(6:05)  9. How Important it Must Be
(4:27) 10. Prologue
(4:48) 11. The Dead in Frock Coats
(3:49) 12. Souvenir of the Ancient World
(6:10) 13. Don't Kill Yourself
(4:35) 14. Quadrille

Maria Schneider proved her genius as a composer and arranger beyond any doubt with Concert in the Garden (ArtistShare, 2004), and she did it again on her second masterpiece of orchestral jazz, Sky Blue (ArtistShare, 2007). With Winter Morning Walks, Schneider introduces her first works with major orchestras, the Australian Chamber Orchestra on the nine part "Winter Morning Walks," and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra on "Carlo Drummond de Andrade Stories," both in partnership with soprano Dawn Upshaw. "Winter Morning Walks," puts music to the poetry of Ted Kooser, the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2004 to 2006. These short, clear, simple and profound pieces were composed during his recovery from cancer treatment. Upshaw's vocals soar.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra along with long time Schneider compatriots Frank Kimbrough (piano), Scott Robinson (reeds), and Jay Anderson (bass) caress the words, inject small surprises inside the pastel string washes, violins and violas whispering like soft breezes through the prairie grass, making the canopies of the tall trees sing. After the subtle magnificence, the hushed beauty of "Winter Morning Walks," it's probably best to take a break, or to perhaps listen to the work again. It is an experience to be savored before moving on to "Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories." Carlos Drummond de Adrade (1902 to 1987) was one of Brazil's greatest poets. His writing was most often rooted in the everyday, often featuring contrasts between moods of darkness and light. The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra features a broader palette of colors, with the strings joined by woodwinds and brass embracing the vocals. The backdrop behind Upshaw is more colorful here, though the moods are often darker. "The Dead in Frock Coats" throbs with a deep, aching melancholy; while "Don't Kill Yourself" floats back and forth between whimsey and deep despair, narrated by the poet's street-wise and somewhat detached yet sympathetic even loving voice.

Winter Morning Walks features two major works by a major artist. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis has long been an advocate for Duke Ellington as the greatest composer/arranger that the United States ever produced. That's a hard point to argue against. We may now, with the release of "Winter Morning Walks" and "Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories," have to acknowledge Maria Schneider as our greatest "living" arranger/composer. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/winter-morning-walks-maria-schneider-artist-share-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Winter Morning Walks: Maria Schneider: composer; Dawn Upshaw: vocals; Jay Anderson: bass; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Scott Robinson: alto clarinet, bass clarinet; The Australian Chamber Orchestra. Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories: Maria Schneider: composer; Dawn Upshaw: vocals; The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Winter Morning Walks

---

Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra - Evanescence

Styles: Big Band, Contemporary Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:55
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:29) 1. Wyrgly
(11:23) 2. Evanescence
( 9:02) 3. Gumba Blue
( 5:52) 4. Some Circles
( 8:08) 5. Green Piece
( 7:09) 6. Gush
( 4:53) 7. My Lament
( 7:30) 8. Dance You Monster To My Soft Song
( 8:24) 9. Last Season

Maria Schneider's debut as a leader is quite impressive. Her complex arrangements of her nine originals are most influenced by Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer, although her own musical personality shines through. There are strong solos from tenors Rick Margitza and Rich Perry, trumpeter Tim Hagan, altoist Tim Ries, and particularly pianist Kenny Werner, but it is the moody ensembles that most stick in one's mind. Schneider's arrangements are often dense, a bit esoteric, and thought-provoking; this music may need several listens for one to grasp all that is going on. By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/evanescence-mw0000114781

Personnel: Maria Schnieder – conductor; Mark Vinci – alto saxophone, flute, alto flute, clarinet, piccolo; Tim Ries – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet; Rich Perry – tenor saxophone, flute; Rick Margitza – tenor saxophone; Scott Robinson – baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet; Tony Kadleck – trumpet, flügelhorn; Greg Gisbert – trumpet, flügelhorn; Laurie Frink – trumpet, flügelhorn; Tim Hagans – trumpet, flügelhorn; John Fedchock – trombone; Keith O'Quinn – trombone; Larry Farrell – trombone; George Flynn – bass trombone, tuba; Ben Monder – guitar; Kenny Werner – piano; Jay Anderson – bass guitar; Dennis Mackrel – drums; Emidin Rivera – percussion on "Gush"; Bill Hayes – flexatone on "Gush"

Evanescence

---

Maria Schneider - Days Of Wine And Roses

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:39
Size: 132,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:46)  1. Lately
(7:07)  2. The Willow
(5:33)  3. That Old Black Magic
(7:20)  4. My Ideal
(2:49)  5. Last Season
(8:46)  6. Days Of Wine And Roses
(7:22)  7. Over The Rainbow
(9:53)  8. Bird Count

Originally released in a limited edition boxed with two bottles of Riesling wine the reissue of this unique CD is a welcome event for fans of Maria Schneider. There's no wine this time but it still includes a fascinating taste of her older arrangements. There are three that reach back more than twenty years to her studies at the Eastman School of Music: the originals: "Bird Count and "Last Season, and her chart of the standard "My Ideal.  Her composition "Lately dates from 1987 and was originally intended for Mel Lewis but never submitted to his orchestra. "'The Willow' was written as a dedication of love and gratitude to Mel, according to Schneider's notes. Her close friend and teacher Bob Brookmeyer commissioned the arrangements of "That Old Black Magic and "Over the Rainbow for a project with the Cologne Radio Orchestra. Ivan Lins' "Começar de Novo and the title selection come from a 1994 collaboration with Toots Thielemans and the Norrbotten Big Band."This album is like a double-exposed photograph, she writes in the liner notes, referring to the pre-Orchestra arrangements from the 1980s through the 1990s juxtaposed with the late January 2000 edition of her own large ensemble, recorded live to two-track at the Jazz Standard by the brilliant engineer David Baker. Days of Wine and Roses is dedicated to Baker, who recently passed away. He also co-produced the recording with Schneider. The magnificent sonic clarity, depth and definition serve as a fitting remembrance of his loving attention to detail and keen hearing; he was likely the premier recording engineer of his time.The Maria Schneider Orchestra's previous recordings tended to concentrate primarily on a diaphanous quality in the writing, leading many commentators to pigeonhole her as a colorist, an orchestral impressionist akin to Gil Evans, with whom she apprenticed and to whom Evanescence was dedicated. Days of Wine and Roses demonstrates conclusively that this is but one facet of her talents as a composer, arranger and orchestrator. "Lately is a relaxed yet propulsive swinger in a latter-day Basie groove that would have been right at home in the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra book. The bustling "Bird Count brings the Charles Mingus of "Gunslinging Bird to mind, as well as its namesake Charlie Parker, with preaching reeds plus testifying trumpets and trombones massing in gospel-esque fervor.

It might be said that the arrangements are the true "stars of this organization, but there are some beautifully conceived and fully formed solos as well. One that must be singled out is Scott Robinson's baritone saxophone tour de force on "The Willow. A portion of this tenderly limned melody bears a fleeting resemblance to Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss, and a similar mood is evoked as well. The baritone solo begins in pensive pastels, lightly burred at times, with pianist Frank Kimbrough's gently probing accompaniment and the stirring brushes of drummer Tim Horner. Schneider's arrangement gradually brings in the other horns, building the dynamic level, and Robinson rises with them, an eagle riding a thermal, judiciously applying split tones and a range from the bottom of the horn to the near-falsetto register. He flies up and "out without losing sight of the ground then gradually glides back down, meshing mesmerizingly with the orchestration. It's a dramatic performance, ranging from tenderness to passion and back again. The title is certainly an apt one. Like a willow, this composition, arrangement and interpretation have a tensile strength that nonetheless bends with the breeze, never brittle and unyielding, always motile and mutable. "Last Season is a fetching miniature, performed as a solo piano reflection by Frank Kimbrough, which segues seamlessly to the saudade orchestral intro of "Começar de Novo. Soprano saxophonist Tim Ries is the featured soloist on this piece, which is a gorgeous ballad rather than a bossa nova or samba despite its Brazilian pedigree.

Rick Margitza takes "That Old Black Magic at a brisk pace, the chart buoying along a fleet tenor saxophone solo with some particularly pungent lower brass exclamation points. Greg Gisbert's mellifluous flugelhorn is showcased on "My Ideal, which opens and closes as a ballad with a lightly swinging medium-tempo portion at the midpoint. "Days of Wine and Roses is transformed from an evocation of cocktail lounge ennui to an up-tempo romp in this arrangement, with solos from Ries whose soprano tone is here a touch too austere for my taste and Rich Perry on tenor. Schneider's rhapsodic chart of "Over the Rainbow is graced with an eloquent solo by alto saxophonist Charles Pillow, who has some of the spicy snap of latter-day Art Pepper in his sound and ideas here. Pepper also recorded a nakedly emotional interpretation of this classic Harold Arlen melody. The closing "Bird Count has a string of solos, with Frank Kimbrough on piano and Ingrid Jensen on trumpet the standouts. It's too bad that there isn't more of Jensen's solo work on the program; she is a superb player. In the five-plus years since Days of Wine and Roses was recorded there have been a few changes of personnel in the orchestra, but the majority of musicians (thirteen by my count) are the same as on 2004's Concert in the Garden. Pianist Frank Kimbrough is one of the constants, as is guitarist Ben Monder. Although the latter doesn't solo in this program, he is an essential part of the rhythm section, while the former is a marvelously incisive, expressive soloist and one of the leading accompanists in the business. The continuity and cohesion of the ensemble are exemplary. Days of Wine and Roses presents a snapshot of the 2000 edition of the Maria Schneider Orchestra in performance, and it's a gladly received document of another side or perhaps one should say other sides of her estimable talents. This recording is available only through Maria Schneider on the web. ~ Bill Bennett https://www.allaboutjazz.com/maria-schneider-orchestra-days-of-wine-and-roses-live-at-the-jazz-standard-by-bill-bennett.php

Personnel: Maria Schneider: composer, arranger, conductor; Tim Ries: alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute; Charles Pillow: alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone, flute; Rick Margitza: tenor saxophone, flute; Scott Robinson: bass and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute; Tony Kadleck: trumpet, flugelhorn; Greg Gisbert: trumpet, flugelhorn; Laurie Frink: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet, flugelhorn; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Rock Ciccarone: trombone; Larry Farrell: trombone; George Flynn: bass trombone; Ben Monder: guitar; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Tony Scherr: bass; Tim Horner: drums.

Days Of Wine And Roses

---

Maria Schneider Orchestra - Data Lords (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Album: Data Lords (Disc 1)
Styles: Big Band
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:41) 1. A World Lost
(13:37) 2. Don't Be Evil
(10:17) 3. CQ CQ Is Anybody There?
( 8:11) 4. Sputnik
(11:11) 5. Data Lords

---

Album: Data Lords (Disc 2)
Time: 43:06
Size: 99,1 MB

( 5:45) 1. Sanzenin
( 5:42) 2. Stone Song
( 9:04) 3. Look Up
( 3:59) 4. Braided Together
(11:11) 5. Bluebird
( 7:22) 6. The Sun Waited For Me

The skillfully designed cover art tells part of the story; a leaf half as nature intended the remainder, a circuit board doppelganger. The pastoral soundscapes associated with the music of Grammy-winning composer/bandleader Maria Schneider belie her activist alter-ego. An outspoken critic of copyright protections, prejudicial revenue schemes and the abuses of "big data," Schneider has authored op-eds and testified before the US Congress. She ventures onto unfamiliar terrain, coalescing her passions on a masterwork double album, Data Lords.

The two discs are respectively designated as "The Digital World" and "Our Natural World" and the first CD opens with the ominous "A World Lost." Ben Monder's brooding guitar and Richard Perry's tenor sax preside over rumbling brass; the piece is as dark as the title suggests. Monder's electric guitar becomes an emblematic figure in a substantial portion of the digitally-focused disc. "CQ CQ, Is Anybody There?" is based on the low-tech forerunner of the digital world; Schneider's engineer father was a ham radio operator.

The piece features Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone and Greg Gisbert on trumpet, with electronics, a rarity in Schneider's recordings. The two set up a clash between organic and enhanced sounds. A harbinger of the competition for technological dominance is manifested in the shadowy "Sputnik" where Scott Robinson's baritone sax takes center stage. The title track closes the first disc with an appropriately chaotic and conflicted warning of the potential risks of an AI dominated world.

Returning to more familiar ground, "Our Natural World" is not a divestiture from the concept but solace from the intrusion of mechanization. The striking "Sanzenin" is a meditative reflection on the Buddhist gardens in Ohara, Japan. Gary Versace's accordion evocatively soars above the low reeds. Schneider further lifts the spirits with the lavishly textured "Look Up" with Marshall Gilkes' inspired trombone interwoven with pianist Frank Kimbrough. Schneider builds on her visual observations of nature in the eleven-minute "Bluebird" and the second-disc closing piece "The Sun Waited for Me." Both of those, hopeful and energized arrangements are in the vein of her work on The Thompson Fields (ArtistShare, 2015).

Schneider found her inspiration to take a larger risk in working briefly with David Bowie on his final studio album Blackstar (ISO Records, 2016). The post-production version of the single "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" caught Schneider off guard but also opened her mind to new ideas. Data Lords was commissioned by the Library of Congress and premiered at the Library in 2016. Schneider has described the project as "very dark, chaotic, and intense." By comparison to her other releases, it's true but that account shouldn't be off-putting to her fans. Data Lords is often gorgeous and always intriguing. It is Schneider's best collection to date and sure to end up on most of the appropriate year-end lists. This is intoxicating music and highly recommended. By Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/data-lords-maria-schneider-orchestra-artist-share

Personnel: Composed By, Conductor – Maria Schneider; Accordion – Gary Versace; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute – Dave Pietro; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute – Steve Wilson (2); Bass – Jay Anderson; Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Scott Robinson (2); Bass Trombone – George Flynn (2); Drums, Percussion – Johnathan Blake; Guitar – Ben Monder; Piano – Frank Kimbrough; Tenor Saxophone – Rich Perry; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Donny McCaslin; Trombone – Keith O'Quinn, Marshall Gilkes, Ryan Keberle; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Greg Gisbert, Mike Rodriguez (9), Nadje Noordhuis, Tony Kadleck

Data Lords (Disc 1),(Disc 2)

---

Scott Robinson - Tenormore

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:25
Size: 157,8 MB
Art: Front

( 2:52)  1. And I Love Her
( 5:49)  2. Tenor Eleven
( 7:38)  3. Put On A Happy Face
( 6:08)  4. Morning Star
( 6:34)  5. The Good Life
( 7:46)  6. Tenor Twelve
( 5:21)  7. Rainy River
( 7:01)  8. The Weaver
( 6:53)  9. The Nearness Of You
(11:19) 10. Tenormore

When attempting to lend form to the term "rara avis" in jazz, Scott Robinson instantly appears in the mind's eye. He's most easily recognized these days as a horn heavy on the most standard of heavy horns, adding ballast and low-end individuality to the sound of Maria Schneider's orchestra with his baritone saxophone, but Robinson is also beyond proficient a virtuoso, in fact on numerous instruments that most people don't even know exist. His arsenal includes theremin, ophicleide, sarrusophone, alto clarinet, echo cornet, bass marimba, contrabass banjo, and a few hundred other rarities. Long before Robinson acquired his treasure trove of instrumental curiosities, his heart belonged to the second instrument he ever owned (behind a 1927 Conn alto saxophone from his grandfather) and the first instrument he actually purchased: a silver 1924 Conn tenor saxophone procured from a Maryland antique store in 1975. That tenor has been a constant for Robinson since it came into his life, so it's only fitting that the horn receives its due on what is, surprisingly, the multi-instrumentalist's first all-tenor date. In some respects, such a project seems limiting for a man who thrives on diversification. But the album itself makes an important point which counters that line of thinking: the man, not the vessel, is the music. The range of expression that Robinson is capable of eliciting from a single horn this single horn, for this affair is astounding. Opening on a stratospheric four-note motif that introduces a solo take of "And I Love Her," Robinson's vision proves rangy from the start. There is romance in the music for sure, but also a hint of feral snark. As the program plays on, Robinson works his tenor for all it's capable of while also thriving in the atmospheres he creates with his A-list bandmates pianist/organist Helen Sung, bassist Martin Wind, and drummer Dennis Mackrel. This quartet bumps and grinds its way through an eleven-bar blues aptly named "Tenor Eleven," turns "Put On A Happy Face" into a ballad that balances the scales of emotions with rueful revisionism, sets a cool-headed take on "The Good Life" into motion with some free improvisation, and visits church on Wind's soulful, organ-enhanced "Rainy River." Scott Robinson may typically take instrumental variegation to a level unsurpassed in this music, but that shouldn't diminish his position as a tenor saxophonist of note. In that most crowded of fields, he still stands out.  ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tenormore-scott-robinson-arbors-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Scott Robinson: tenor saxophone; Helen Sung: piano, Hammond B3 organ (7, 9); Dennis Mackrel: drums; Martin Wind: bass, acoustic bass guitar (9, 10); Sharon Robinson: flute (8).

Tenormore

---

Mingus Big Band - The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:22) 1. Work Song (Break The Chains)
(7:42) 2. The I Of Hurricane Sue
(1:01) 3. Intro To Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(5:46) 4. Nobody Knows The Bradley I Know
(8:15) 5. Meditations For Moses
(7:43) 6. All The Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud's Wife Was Your Mother
(6:35) 7. Don’t Let It Happen Here
(6:49) 8. Profile Of Jackie
(8:21) 9. Hobo Ho
(0:22) 10. Intro To Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting
(3:29) 11. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting

The legacy of Charles Mingus is continuing to be celebrated this year by his legacy bands. Now the Mingus Big Band has released The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, which marks the 100th anniversary of the bassist and composer’s birth with 22 of his compositions.

The work includes new arrangements of his timeless songs with narrations by Charles’s son Eric Mingus. The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions was recorded with over 30 of the world’s leading musicians, rotating in the Mingus Big Band tradition, they say.

Bass on the album is handled by three men: Boris Kozlov, Andrew McKee, and Mike Richmond. Each has played an important role in the group. Kozlov has been in the band for over two decades and is the current co-leader of the group. McKee spent a decade in the ’90s and is featured on many recordings. When Mingus died in 1979, his widow Sue Mingus (who passed away in September 2022) launched the Legacy band with Mike Richmond in the bass seat.
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/10/20/mingus-big-band-releases-the-charles-mingus-centennial-sessions/

Musicians: Dr. Alex Pope Norris, Tatum Greenblatt, Walter White, Philip Harper, Anthony Fazio, Jack Walrath, Alex Sipiagin - Trumpets; Conrad Herwig, Joe Fiedler, Robin Eubanks, Coleman Hughes - Trombones; David Taylor - Bass Trombone; Earl McIntyre - Bass Trombones & Tuba; Alex Foster (co-leader), Brandon Wright, David Lee Jones, Ron Blake, Alex Terrier - Alto Saxophones - Abraham Burton, Wayne Escoffery, Scott Robinson, Sam Dillon - Tenor Saxophones; Jason Marshall, Lauren Sevian - Baritone Saxophones; David Kikoski, Theo Hill - Piano; Boris Kozlov (co-leader), Andrew McKee, Mike Richmond - Bass; Adam Cruz, Donald Edwards, Johnathan Blake, Tommy Campbell - Drums; Eric Mingus, Renee Manning, Alex Foster - Vocals

The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions

---

Gary Smulyan - High Noon - The Jazz Soul Of Frankie Laine

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:50
Size: 165,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:17)  1. I'd Give My Life
(8:32)  2. High Noon
(7:21)  3. Torchin'
(6:51)  4. It Only Happens Once
(7:54)  5. Baby, Baby All The Time
(8:21)  6. When You're In Love
(6:28)  7. Put Yourself IN My Place, Baby
(6:38)  8. A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry
(6:31)  9. That Lucky Old Son
(5:52) 10. We'll Be Together Again

This tribute album by baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan features his bebop-based nonet pulling inspiration from a 1956 album by pop singer Frankie Laine (1913-2007) and trumpeter Buck Clayton. As Laine's foray into jazz's '50s mainstream, Jazz Spectacular (Columbia) represented a piece of the singer's repertoire not as well-known as his pop music. It allowed him to interact with instrumentalists of the era who represented jazz authority and had little to do with themes such as "High Noon," "Mule Train," "Cool Water," "Rawhide," "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" and the more recent "Blazing Saddles" and "3:10 to Yuma." Laine did not sing on the soundtrack for High Noon, but did record it as another of his Western-based hits.

On Smulyan's album, "High Noon" is hardly recognizable. While the ten songs come from a broad spectrum of Laine's career, each has been rearranged by Mark Masters to fit a nonet akin to that found on Miles Davis' The Birth of the Cool (Capitol, 1949), with similar instrumentation, a pervading blues quality and soulful soloing. Here, "High Noon"'s theme dances in and out of dense harmony and "gunfight" choruses traded between French horn and trombone, and alto sax and trumpet. On bass clarinet, Scott Robinson's lengthy intro clears the main street of town while Smulyan closes the piece with one big booming chorus after another. Laine wrote the lyrics for "A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry," "Torchin'" and "We'll Be Together Again," all which come with heavy blues overtones. Smulyan's horn sings like the original, his nonet providing plenty of jazz atmosphere, affixing a balance to the eclectic quality of Laine's emotional Italian-American crooning melded with whiplash cowboy stories. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/high-noon-the-jazz-soul-of-frankie-laine-gary-smulyan-reservoir-music-review-by-jim-santella.php
 

Personnel: Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; Mark Masters: arranger; Joe Magnarelli: trumpet; John Clark: French horn; Dick Oatts: alto saxophone; Scott Robinson: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet; John Fedchock: trombone; Pete Malinverni: piano; Andy McKee: bass; Steve Johns: drums.

High Noon: The Jazz Soul Of Frankie Laine

---

Martin Wind Quartet, Bill Mays, Scott Robinson, Matt Wilson - My Astorian Queen

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:27
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:35) 1. Mean What You Say
(5:30) 2. Solitude
(6:06) 3. Broadway
(7:35) 4. Peace Waltz
(5:02) 5. E Preciso Perduar
(7:57) 6. Out in P.A.
(5:30) 7. My Astorian Queen
(4:56) 8. There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York
(3:12) 9. New York, New York

Bassist Martin Wind, born in Flensburg, Germany, moved to New York City in 1996 and has called the area home ever since more specifically, suburban New Jersey where he lives with his wife, Maria, two grown sons and one dog. Wind had been in New York for less than forty-eight hours when he was introduced to Maria who lived in an apartment in a predominantly Greek area of Astoria, Queens; soon afterward, she became Wind's Astorian Queen and lifelong companion. When planning his fifteenth album as leader or co-leader of his own groups, to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of his arrival, Wind turned to some old friends to flesh out his quartet and if it sounds like more than a quartet, that is more than likely because the versatile Scott Robinson plays tenor and bass saxophones, clarinet and trumpet (albeit not simultaneously). And if it sounds considerably better than your average foursome, that is definitely because pianist Bill Mays and drummer Matt Wilson complete the starting line-up.

Wind, who also composes, wrote three of the album's nine selections: "My Astorian Queen," "Solitude" and "Out in P.A.," while Mays wrote the meditative "Peace Waltz." New York is prominently represented with Wilbur Bird's swinging "Broadway" and the last two numbers, George Gershwin's "There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York" (from the folk opera Porgy and Bess) and Fred Ebb & John Kander's iconic salute to the city, "New York, New York." Rounding out the program are Thad Jones' light-hearted "Mean What You Say" and the Latin charmer, "E Preciso Perduar," which was brought to Wind by one of his students, a drummer from Brazil.

Although bassists, even when leading a group, more often than not take on a supporting role, Wind takes the lead on "My Astorian Queen," using his resonant sound and marvelous technique to bring its lovely melody to life. Robinson plays tenor on that theme, as he does on "E Preciso Perduar" and "Out in P.A.," moving to trumpet on "Mean What You Say" and "There's a Boat," clarinet on "Solitude," bass saxophone on "Broadway." Wind also carries the melody on "New York, New York," played by the trio without Robinson, as is "Peace Waltz." Wind plays arco bass there, and on "Out in P.A." As for Mays, he is simply one of the best in the business, whether soloing or comping, and Wilson (who solos smartly on "There's a Boat") fits any milieu like the proverbial glove. With My Astorian Queen, Wind and his colleagues have celebrated his anniversary in grand style. By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/my-astorian-queen-martin-wind-laika-records

Personnel: Martin Wind: bass, acoustic; Bill Mays: piano; Scott Robinson: saxophone, baritone; Matt Wilson: drums.

My Astorian Queen

---

Manhattan Jazz Orchestra - Swing, Swing, Swing

Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 122,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:18) 1. Ironside
(7:24) 2. Swing, Swing, Swing
(6:37) 3. Jumpin' At The Woodside
(6:38) 4. Moonlight Serenade
(6:54) 5. Take The A Train
(6:50) 6. Ai No Corrida
(6:04) 7. Manteca
(6:11) 8. Stompin' At The Savoy

Manhattan Jazz Orchestra was created by pianist/arranger David Matthews and an accomplished Japanese producer Shigeyuki Kawashima (both GRAMMY winners) in 1989. It is one of the premier and most prolific big bands in the US, having released more than 13 CDs over the years.

For Swing, Swing, Swing, recorded in 2006, Matthews and his big band chose as materials tunes written by and associated with Quincy Jones ("Ironside," "Ai No Corrida") and Glenn Miller ("Moonlight Serenade") for the first time. They also pay tribute to the great big bands led by Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillispie and Benny Goodman. The title tune is Matthews' original that takes a nostalgic look back at the big band era. The all-star band, including star players Lew Soloff, Ryan Kisor, Randy Brecker, Jim Pugh and Chris Hunter, plays Matthews' intricate scores with technical perfection and provide inspired solos. Recommended for fans of the contemporary big band sound!

Produced by Shigeyuki Kawashima and David Matthews. Recorded February 2004, New York. Lew Soloff (trumpet); Ryan Kisor (trumpet); Walter White (trumpet; )Scott Wendholt (trumpet); Randy Brecker (trumpet); Jim Pugh (trombone); John Fedchock (trombone); Larry Farrell (trombone); David Taylor (bass trombone); Fred Griffen (French horn); John Clark (French horn); Tony Price (tuba); Chris Hunter (alto sax,flute); Aaron Heick (soprano sax,tenor sax); Scott Robinson (baritone sax,bass clarinet); Chip Jackson (bass); Terry Silverlight (drums); David Matthews (arranger,conductor,piano).

Swing, Swing, Swing

---

Dan Barrett And Rebecca Kilgore - "Being A Bear"

Styles: Vocal And Trombone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:10
Size: 158,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:22) 1. Being A Bear
(5:31) 2. The Jam Song
(5:49) 3. The Music Goes Round And Round
(4:11) 4. This Old Man
(2:36) 5. Copey´s Lament
(2:50) 6. Sing, Sing, Sing
(5:58) 7. Ursa The Blues
(6:52) 8. Mama Don´t Allow
(3:50) 9. Animation
(4:48) 10. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
(3:36) 11. Swingin´ In The Dell
(4:32) 12. Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes
(4:58) 13. The Isle Of Capri
(4:13) 14. At The Jazz Bears Jamboree
(4:58) 15. Little Man, You´ve Had A Busy Day

There have been many attempts through the years to record a jazz set for children, but usually the music is either too complex or too childish, not achieving its purpose. The music on this particular CD was written to be used for a full-length animated film called The Jazz Bears. Most of the melodies (except for five originals) are pretty familiar and simple, but the solos are topnotch and colorful. The vocals (particularly those of the great Rebecca Kilgore) are swinging and charming. Although the opening, "Being a Bear," may make one think that this CD is only for children, it will be easy for adults who are fans of mainstream swing to enjoy this project. Dan Barrett (who arranged many of the pieces) is a versatile trombonist, and his vocal on "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" is surprisingly effective. Trumpeter Spanky Davis (who has long been underrated) has quite a few hot solos, Scott Robinson (best on baritone and bass sax) is always impressive, and Jim Galloway's soprano is another asset. Recommended, for children and their jazz-loving parents alike.

Musicians: Dan Barrett - leader, trombone and vocals; Spanky Davis - trumpet, vocals; Jim Galloway - soprano sax, baritone sax; - clarinet, baritone sax, bass sax, bass clarinet, alto sax; John Sheridan - piano; Paul Keller - bass; Jeff Hamilton - drums; Rebecca Kilgore - vocals, guitar

Being A Bear

---

Jeff Cosgrove & Scott Robinson - Hunters and Scavengers

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:25
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. Eyes of the Hunter
(3:01)  2. Don't Look (Just Run)
(5:30)  3. Patterned Behavior
(5:43)  4. High, Low
(0:38)  5. Instinct
(2:54)  6. Field Test
(5:10)  7. Rays of Dawn
(6:39)  8. Simple Justification
(6:32)  9. Song of the Cuddle Fish
(5:47) 10. Lonely Woman

In the 1980s, artist Jenny Holzer created short, pithy statements projected by LED lights in museums and onto Times Square. Her now famous "Abuse of Power Comes As No Surprise" text sums up not only the #MeToo movement and the #BlackLivesMatter cry, but also to some extent, the music industry. The vertical construction of many jazz ensembles, like in corporations, gave us a leader with an often interchangeable rhythm section. This trend toward verticality began to be reversed in improvised music, creating a more democratic effort with leadership roles spread across the group. This horizontal approach is at the forefront of Hunters & Scavengers, a trio recording by Jeff Cosgrove, Scott Robinson, and Ken Filiano. It is the embodiment of a cooperative improvisation outfit. Drummer Jeff Cosgrove has turned heads of late with his work with Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Ivo Perelman, and Mat Maneri. His approach is to act more as a colorist, than a pulse generator. That approach suits bassist Filiano just fine. A veteran of nearly 200 recordings with musicians like Tony Malaby, Connie Crothers, and Anthony Braxton, his proficiency equals that of Barry Guy, Drew Gress, and Mark Dresser. Then there's saxophonist Scott Robinson, who might be the most underrated multi-instrumentalist in jazz today. His command of a menagerie of horns is on par with that of Anthony Braxton and Vinny Golia.

What this trio accomplishes in ten tracks, nine improvised and one by Ornette Coleman, is the concept of a republic. This equality amongst its members might have begun in Bill Evans' trios where Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian where freed from keeping time, but it has reached a second zenith here in these pieces. A piece like "Simple Justification" roils with a wintery covering of bowed then plucked bass, cymbals like tiny birds, and the plaintive calls of Robinson's tenor saxophone. Together, as one, the music flows, streams, and fills space with an almost unconcerned naturalness. The same is true of "Song Of The Cuddle Fish." Working to make a soundscape, the trio creates eerie textures and "Field Test," in which the emphasis appears (if this is possible) to be more of feel than sound. If you were to listen to this recording, it might be best to start with Ornette's classic "Lonely Woman" as the key to unlock the remainder of the music. Sans a leader, the melody is played by each musician as if they were charged with holding up all the tent poles of the composition. The music is a common cause here, and the three are in continuous service of the sound.~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/hunters-and-scavengers-jeff-cosgrove-scott-robinson-ken-filiano-grizzley-music-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: Jeff Cosgrove: drums; Scott Robinson: saxophone; Ken Filiano: bass.

Hunters and Scavengers

---

Scott Robinson - Melody From The Sky

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:34
Size: 166,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Davenport Blues
(3:45)  2. Where Is Love?
(2:59)  3. Just Like A Melody Out Of The Sky
(4:49)  4. Isfahan
(6:35)  5. Yardville
(3:35)  6. I'm Making Believe
(8:27)  7. Saxophone Blues
(3:42)  8. This Is No Laughing Matter
(4:26)  9. Sweet Rhythm
(2:36) 10. The Swan
(5:34) 11. Ups And Downs
(3:54) 12. Count Your Blessing Instead Of Sheep
(3:32) 13. For No Reason At All In C
(2:37) 14. Singin The Blues
(4:42) 15. C Here
(4:27) 16. A Melody From The Sky

Known as a multi-talented/stylistic woodwindist, Robinson concentrates on the C-Melody saxophone for this CD, which makes it not only a rarity, but an event unto itself. He also showcases a four-pitch selection: organ based, string quartet flavored, straight-ahead swing, and guitar-oriented jams with either James Chirillo or Marty Grosz on four cuts apiece. Mark Shane and Larry Ham split keyboard duties, with Lee Hudson or Greg Cohen on bass, and occasionally Cohen plays a bass marimba originally owned by Sun Ra. On the lighter side is the solo laden, easily swung "Davenport Blues," the relaxed quartet take of "This Is No Laughing Matter," the quaint "For No Reason at All," and the old-timey, stride-based title track. With the strings the slowed torch song "Where Is Love?" is short and sweet with no solos, the quartet adds spice without being overbearing during "I'm Making Believe," and turns "Count Your Blessings" into a languid, heartfelt ice melter. Also in a classical/romantic vein is the serene 3/4 Saint Saens piano (Ham)/sax ballet "The Swan." The organ numbers provide the greatest contrast and offer Robinson a challenge to make the sounds mesh; in fact, the keyboard sounds more like a C-3. In this area are the classic ballad "Isfahan," the reverential organ- (Shane) based "Sweet Rhythm" with choppy, banjo-like chords from Grosz, the modern "Freedom Jazz Dance"-type Robinson original "C Here" with organ by Ham on top (no foot pedal bass), and a loping legato sax and subtle marimba lurking behind while stretched, long organ tones from Ham inform the ballad take on "Singin' the Blues." In an Earl Bostic tone, Rudy Wiedhoeft's '20s-era "Saxophone Blues" is an 8+ minute-long, blues-drenched, country-styled groove swing, with again Ham and Chirillo's single-line solo a highlight. The best swinger is a John Kirby/Raymond Scott/Keystone Cops-ish Robinson-penned "Ups & Downs," trumped up by Jon Erik-Kellso's trumpet, while a hard bopping sax/guitar (Chirillo) line sets the fuse on Robinson's "Yardville," while Grosz and Cohen's slight marimba inserts a buoy for Robinson's good swing on "Just Like a Melody out of the Sky." If it were just a matter of sound, this would be a novelty item, but Robinson plays the C-melody so well without straining or going overtly smooth. The instrument, though not being produced anymore, deserves a revisit and a close listen on this truly delightful, high-variety recording that is better upon repeated listenings. Highly recommended. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/melody-from-the-sky-mw0000064494

Personnel: Scott Robinson - C-melody saxophone; Jon-Erik Kellso - trumpet ; Marty Grosz, James Chirillo- Guitar; Ming Yeh - violin; Larry Ham - piano, organ; Carol Benner - viola

Melody From The Sky

---

Peter Ecklund - Strings Attached

Styles: Cornet Jazz 
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:43
Size: 150,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Try A Little Tenderness
(4:03)  2. Waltz For Another Time
(2:56)  3. I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure
(3:50)  4. Excessively Happy Time
(6:20)  5. Twelve Country Miles
(3:27)  6. All-Purpose Cowboy Melody
(3:01)  7. Lucky Day (This Is My)
(4:11)  8. Waltz Of The Secret Agents
(3:26)  9. Wedding Of The Painted Doll
(3:21) 10. Jubilee
(5:06) 11. Get Out Of My Way
(3:41) 12. Triumphal March Of The Society Bandleaders
(4:30) 13. Too Marvelous For Words
(5:23) 14. Untitled
(4:05) 15. Puttin' On The Ritz
(3:44) 16. Carnevale

Although this is technically a set featuring cornetist Peter Ecklund with strings, there is actually no real string section. The "strings" include (on various tracks) guitarists Frank Vignola, Chris Flory, Molly Mason, and Marty Grosz, bassists Greg Cohen and Murray Wall, violinist Jay Ungar, banjoist Cynthia Sayer, and Kenny Kosek on mandolin, plus Scott Robinson on various reeds, Lenny Pickett on clarinet and tenor sarrusophone (!), and drummer Richard Crooks. Ecklund contributed nine originals to the 16-song set, which also includes "Try a Little Tenderness," "I'll Be a Friend With Pleasure," and "Jubilee." The fresh material, constantly changing instrumentation, and Ecklund's consistently excellent playing make this CD easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/strings-attached-mw0000083775

Personnel:  Peter Ecklund - cornet;  Scott Robinson - reeds;  Lenny Pickett - clarinet, tenor sarrusophone;  Frank Vignola, Chris Flory, Molly Mason, Marty Grosz-guitar;  Cynthia Sayer - banjo;  Kenny Kosek - mandolin;  Jay Ungar - violin;  Greg Cohen, Murray Wall - bass;  Richard Crooks - drums

Strings Attached

---

Dan Barrett Feat. Rebecca Kilgore - Moon Song

Styles: Vocal, Cornet And Trombone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:26
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Moon Song
(3:47)  2. Scratch My Back
(3:12)  3. Georgianna
(4:07)  4. With A Smile And Song
(4:49)  5. Miss Brown To You
(4:49)  6. Time On My Hands
(6:31)  7. With 'Em
(4:15)  8. Mound Bayou
(3:39)  9. I'll Never Say Never Again Again
(6:16) 10. I Surrender Dear
(5:52) 11. My Gal Sal
(2:50) 12. Got A Date With An Angel
(3:11) 13. Mama That Moon Is Here Again

Trombonist Dan Barrett leads his Extra-Celestials on a set of spirited small-group swing. The repertoire is full of obscurities (including Benny Carter's "Scratch My Back" and Red McKenzie's "Georgianna," "Mound Bayou," and "Mama, That Moon Is Here Again") and a few superior standards. Barrett (who also plays cornet, wrote all of the arrangements, and takes a rare vocal) is joined throughout by some of his favorite musicians: singer Rebecca Kilgore (who is heard on six of the 13 selections), pianist Dave Frishberg, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, bassist Joel Forbes, drummer Jeff Hamilton, altoist/flutist Chuck Wilson, tenor saxophonist Brian Oglivie, and Scott Robinson (clarinet, bass sax, alto, and tenor). In addition, trumpeter Bryan Shaw helps out on two songs. The intelligent arrangements (which make optimal use of the many great musicians on the date) and the concise, meaningful solos result in Moon Song being memorable. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/moon-song-mw0000045051

Personnel: Dan Barrett - vocals, cornet, trombone; Rebecca Kilgore - vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar; Jeff Hamilton - drums; Bucky Pizzarelli - guitar; Dave Frishberg - piano, celesta;  Scott Robinson - clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass saxophone;  Brian Ogilvie - clarinet, tenor saxophone;  Bryan Shaw - trumpet, cornet;  Chuck Wilson - flute, alto saxophone

Moon Song

---

Christopher Hollyday - And I'll Sing Once More

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:20
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Heroes
(4:39)  2. Hate the Roommate
(5:23)  3. The Sound of Music
(4:19)  4. Storm
(9:59)  5. Beyond the Barren Lands
(8:25)  6. Chant
(5:55)  7. Nefertiti
(7:03)  8. Let the Moon Stand Still
(8:51)  9. The Very Thought of You

By the time he recorded his fourth Novus release, alto saxophonist Christopher Hollyday, who often sounded like a particularly abrasive version of his teacher Jackie McLean, was starting to show some individuality. Then 22, Hollyday is heard on this set with a 14-piece group that includes six brass, Scott Robinson on reeds, violinist Mark Feldman and two Indian percussionists. He performs four originals, two by pianist Kenny Werner and three standards, exploring the area between hard bop and post-bop. Shortly after this set, Hollyday was dropped by Novus and began a long hiatus from recording. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/and-ill-sing-once-more-mw0000075218

Personnel:  Christopher Hollyday - alto saxophone;  Scott Robinson - tenor & baritone saxophones, flute, clarinet;  Earl Gardner - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Scott Colley - bass;  Mark Feldman - violin;  Douglas Purviance - bass trombone;  Ed Neumeister - trombone;  Ron Savage - drums;  Joe Mosello - trumpet, flugelhorn;  John Mosca - trombone;  Eric Charry - tanpura;  Janey Haddad - talking drum, caxixi, Indian bells, frame drum;  Kenny Werner - piano

And I'll Sing Once More

---